Feeling at home—when you’re far from it

Midwesterner Jan (not her real name) was on an extended summer road trip by herself when she suddenly fell ill.

About this time in her travels, she happened to be in Eugene and Springfield, Oregon with no family or friends anywhere close.

Scared and in pain, she ended up having treatment and ultimately surgery at both of PeaceHealth’s Sacred Heart Medical Centers in the area.

She couldn’t have been more thankful for the care she received.

Once Jan was back on the road, she spoke with Karen Borsheim, from PeaceHealth’s release of information team in Vancouver, Washington.

Borsheim said Jan couldn’t say enough about her positive experience as a patient. “She said she felt well cared for and well-informed—from the minute she set foot in the emergency department to her discharge, two days later.”

At Jan’s request, Borsheim had the pleasure of passing on the high praise to fellow caregivers at PeaceHealth in Oregon. “She wanted me to let them know they made a difference in her life!”

“The nurses, doctors and everyone else treated her like family. She said everyone treated her with kindness and compassion—she felt like she was really special,” said Borsheim. Knowing Jan had no family, some of the nurses would go out of their way to keep her company.

“Jan even said that she wished that she lived in Oregon just to be closer to such wonderful caregivers!” Borsheim noted.

Melanie Johnston, the release of information department manager, said Jan also expressed appreciation for support she received from Borsheim and others on the customer service team. “She felt like PeaceHealth really cared about her, body, mind and spirit,” Johnston said.

Borsheim summed up her own feelings about the whole experience. “It always feels good to get a compliment, but to know that this visitor to our little corner of the world was treated so well by each and every caregiver involved in her care is a compliment to PeaceHealth as an organization. It makes me proud to be a part of that.”